Three Gorges and Yunnan Province Tour

Cruise the celebrated Three Gorges and then fly to Yunnan Province in south-east China to discover the old cities of Dali, Lijiang and Zhongdian ( Shangri-la). Garden -lovers will love seeing the areas where many of our garden plants originated.

Day 1 05/09/2011 Monday Melbourne

Arrive at Melbourne at 21.00. Meet at the Singapore airlines counter.

Day 2 06/09/2011 Tuesday Melbourne /Singapore/Shanghai

Leave Melbourne at 00;05 by Singapore Airlines SQ218, arrive Singapore at 06;00. Transit, leave Singapore at 08;05, arrive Shanghai at 13;25. Met by local guide and after loading the luggage into the coach, take the Magnetic train - the fastest in the world ( 460 km ph). Meet up with the coach and luggage again, and transfer to hotel and check in. (D)

Day 03/09/2011 Wednesday Shanghai

Day tour in Shanghai. Visit Yu Yuan Garden and the "old" market area in morning. Walk along the Bund and see the river and Shanghai life. Enjoy acrobatic show in evening. (B,L,D)

Your cruise program includes a visit to Fengdu, the Ghost City, supposed to be home to demons and a meeting place between earth and the other place. Take a cable car or walk up the hill. You can see a lot from the top. Temples, statues and relics tell the stories.

Also, there is a cruise by progressively smaller boats up a tributary of the Yangtze were you can see the Lesser Three Gorges, Longmen Gorge, Bawu Gorges, Dicui Gorge. The last bit of the cruise is done is a small boat pulled along by strong boatmen.

The Three Gorges are spectacular, even after the water has risen following the famous Three Gorges Dam project.

Xiling Gorge-

Starting at the mouth of the Fragrant Stream in the west and ending at the Nanjin Pass of Yichang in the east. Xiling Gorge, the longest gorge, covers a length of 76 kilometres.

Wu Gorge-

Starting at the Daning River in the Wushan County, Sichuan Province. A section of 44 kilometres, this gorge is known for its grand and beautiful views. Here the river is hemmed in by steep faces of the peaks of the Wushan mountains. These 12 peaks and the swirling mist which surrounds them are the features of this gorge.

Qutang Gorge-

Starting at White King Town in the west and ending at the Daxi Stream in the east. Qutang Gorge is only 8 kilometres long. The water flows most rapidly here. In this section the Yangtze carves its way through the gorge between the sheer precipices of overhanging mountains at both sides. The mountain peaks are nestled in clouds. (B,L,D)

Day 08 12/09/2011 Monday Chongqing/Kunming

Cruise arrives at Chongqing in the morning. Disembark and have a city tour in the Foggy Capital- so called because there are an average of 100-150 foggy days a year here. Leave for Kunming by MU5890 at 15;40, and arrive at 16;40. (B,L,D)

Yunnan Province is well known for the variety of plant species that grow there. Half of the total of plant species found in China- grow in Yunnan Province. Many of the plants growing in Western gardens come originally from Yunnan Province. So called "plant hunters" came from the UK to collect plants, and these were displayed originally in Botanic Gardens. Nowadays, we can buy them for our own gardens.

We have the chance to see a 1,000 year old camellia on this part of the trip.

Day 09 13/09/2011 Tuesday Kunming

After breakfast visit the Stone Forest Scenic Area. Visit Yunnan Ethnic Village in afternoon. Yunnan Province is known for the many Minority People living there. Enjoy learning about their customs and see how they live- houses, costumes and song and dance. (B,L,D)

Day 10 14/09/2011 Wednesday Kunming/Dali

Fly to Dali. By 8L9903 leave at 07;20, arrive at 08;15 in the morning. Visit the famous three towering pagodas of San Ta Si, built over 1,000 years ago on the narrow strip of land between Lake Erhai and snow-capped Cangshan Mountain. Continue on to the colourful morning market at nearby Xizhou where you will have a chance to wander its cobblestoned streets and admire the houses built in the original Bai Minority architectural style. Enjoy the "Three Courses Tea" ceremony and a traditional dance performance. After lunch visit the Old Town of Dali, the national historical and cultural cities. The present day Dali City was built in 1382 during the ming Dynasty to the west of the old town. (B,L,D)

Day 11 15/09/2011 Thursday Dali/Lijiang

Travel to Lijiang by couch- through the mountains, very beautiful. Lijiang is also known as Dayan Town. This city is a "living museum" with its maze of cobblestoned streets criss-crossed by canals, ornately carved wooden buildings and teahouses. Visit the local market on Sifang Street. There are crowds of Naxi women in their traditional dress. (B,L,D)

Day 12 16/09/2011 Friday Lijiang

"You rest under thatch in the shadow of your flowers, your dewy herbs flourish in their bed of moss. Let me leave the world. Let me alight , like you, on your western mountain with phoenixes and cranes." Chang Jian

In the morning see the 500-year-old camellia tree at the Yufeng temple. After enjoing the temple and surrounds, take the chairlift to the Yak Meadow Mountain, discovering alping plants among the high altitude mountains. The rest of the day you can enjoy roaming through the streets of Lijiang, shopping and taking photos. (B,L,D)

Day 13 17/09/2011 Saturday Tiger Leaping Gorge/Zhongdian

A scenic drive to the world's deepest gorge- Tiger Leaping Gorge and then on to Zhongdian ( Shangri-la), home to many Tibetan people.Visit a Tibetan hospital, where you will learn about the differences between Western and Tibetan medicine. Enjoy an evening show of Tibetan song and dance. ( B,L,D)

Day 14 18/09/2011 Sunday Zhongdian ( Shangri-la)

High snow-capped mountains,deep valleys, grassland, highland lakes and virgin forests are the features of this area. As well, there is the Tibetan culture as this city is home to many Tibetans.Visit the Songzhalin Monastery, walk around the Napa Lake and enjoy the natural scenery and wld flowers and plants. (B,L,D)

Day 15 19/09/2011 Monday Zhongdian/Kunming

Fly to Kunming by MU5811, leave at 09;55, arrive 10;35. Some sight-seeing in Kunming.

Day 16 20/09/2011 Tuesday Kunming/Singapore/Melbourne

Free in the morning, transferred to airport and leave for Melbourne. MI 915 leaves at 19;00 arrives Singapore 23;00. Transit in Singapore and fly back to Melbourne by SQ237, leave at 00;25.